Who will get the next big NHL contract? Main candidates at the moment

Contract negotiations are delicate. Some NHL players prefer to disconnect completely during the season. Others may want the process to be concluded quickly, but fairly, and to hear every detail throughout the year.

The key is not to let those conversations distract from what is really being accomplished on the ice.

just ask Alexis Lafreniere.

He is the latest player to sign a long-term extension, signing a seven-year, $52.15 million deal with the New York Rangers last week, coming on the heels of a breakout 2023-24 campaign in which the 23-year-old scored 28 goals and 57 points in 82 games. If Lafreniere continues that type of growth, his big deal will be a steal for the Rangers.

Now that Lafreniere is locked in for the long term, who could be next to secure the proverbial bag?

There are already speculations about how they like it Connor McDavid, Cale Makar and Kirill Kaprizov They could receive a new extension, which everyone can sign starting next July.

After conversations with league insiders, here’s a sampling of players, from the most obvious to perhaps the most obscure, who are ready to (possibly) get paid sooner rather than later. And with the NHL’s salary cap expected to continue rising from its current $88 million, there’s (potentially) even more money to spare when those contracts are doled out.

the superstars

It was a gasp heard around the hockey world when ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported earlier this month that Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin had rejected an eight-year, $88 million extension – which would have made Shesterkin the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history.

Make no mistake: Shesterkin will be paid handsomely at some point, in New York or elsewhere, if the pending unrestricted free agent so chooses. And that deal will recalibrate the goalie market going forward.

“I think Shesterkin will get more than $11.5. (million) for,” one agent said. “He’s not going to settle for a lower number just because. I think he (jeremy) The Swayman situation showed that that is no longer the case. (a standard)“.

That seems fine to me. Additionally, Shesterkin has come a long way over the course of his current four-year, $22.67 million contract. He won a Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender after the 2021-22 season and finished third that year in Hart Trophy voting for league MVP. He is always one of the best goalies in the NHL and this season is no different; Shesterkin is 4-1-1, with a .926 save percentage and a 2.16 goals-against average, both rates among the top five in the NHL.

Shesterkin’s position as New York’s backbone makes his next contract a massive move worth watching…and who knows? There could be more drama on the way before pens hit paper.

Speaking of drama, there has been no shortage of drama around us. Mitch Marner. He Toronto Maple Leaves The winger has refused to comment publicly on the extension talks, but they are taking place behind closed doors. Marner’s current mark of $10.9 million per year is likely to increase, and he has two teammates as points of comparison in conversations: auston matthews‘ Salary of 13.5 million dollars a year and William NylanderIt’s 11.5 million dollars. Marner falls somewhere in between.

His camp has taken a “wait and see” approach with the Leafs so far, testing the waters from training camp to the new season and seeing how it played out. Marner had a solid start to the season with one goal and 10 points in nine games, giving him the team lead in scoring. With that in mind, it would behoove the Leafs to get the deal done for Marner now before the asking price starts to rise.

On the other hand, it is the postseason where Toronto has most wanted to see Marner at his best, and where the winger has repeatedly failed to be a certifiable difference-maker.

“I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Marner goes into the summer without an extension,” another agent said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Marner was the next signing either. (to a big contract). He is a dominant player. But how (General Manager Brad Treliving) Do you see the core of that team now and in the future? “Everything influences.”

A star player who may quickly (or easily) become dissatisfied with his current club? Mikko Rantanen. He Colorado AvalancheThe top-line winger appears to have stalled in talks with the Avs about extending beyond his current contract worth $9.25 million per season. Rantanen has a teammate Nathan MacKinnonThe eight-year, $100.8 million contract as a comparison tool, and that’s not necessarily the range Colorado sees Rantanen landing in, even if Rantanen does.

Rantanen is expected to use a hot 2024-25 campaign, in which he’s now tied for third in the league in scoring with four goals and 13 points, to show why he’s worth a payday like MacKinnon’s when the season rolls around. time to close a deal, in Colorado or somewhere else.

The central set

He’s not what a tight-lipped man usually is. New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is going to reveal his opinion on Nelson BrockHis future with the team. But Nelson is a pending UFA and despite some rampant speculation that the Islanders could move him at the trade deadline, there is a strong case to be made for paying the man to stay long-term.

Nelson’s career has been on the rise for most of the last three seasons, in which he led New York with 111 goals and 209 points in 244 games (that’s three straight 30+ goal outings). Frankly, the 33-year-old has been appearing on a roster that is consistently short-scoring, and the fact that he is improving year after year makes extending him beyond this six-year, $36 million contract a smart deal for Lamoriello. It is difficult to find fundamental pieces like Nelson.

A similar situation occurs with the Vancouver forward. Brock Boeser. Despite an up-and-down stretch with the Canucks to date that included last season’s disappointing postseason finish due to a blood clotting issue, there’s no denying Boeser’s position as a consistent force on offense. from Vancouver. The 27-year-old had the best regular season of his career in 2023-24, leading the Canucks with 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games, then added seven goals and 12 points in 12 postseasons before being sidelined. Those numbers, along with a point per game to start this season, should net Boeser a sizable raise on his current three-year, $19.95 million contract.

It may take a while for the Canucks to resolve their cap situation and find a middle ground with Boeser. And given how well he’s playing, Boeser wouldn’t mind waiting, either.

Another central player that seems like a no-brainer for a long-term deal is florida panthers center Sam Bennett. Talks are ongoing between the Panthers and their pending UFA, and that’s a great thing for both parties. Florida has already sealed the (long-term) agreement with Carter Verhaeghe this month, and taking care of Bennett is general manager Bill Zito’s next priority.

Bennett has eclipsed the 40-point mark in his last three seasons with Florida and scored 20-plus goals in two of those outings, making him one of the Panthers’ most reliable pieces up front. He’s proven to be one of the league’s premier power forwards (an increasingly rare breed) and Bennett also made a big impact for the Panthers in the playoffs, averaging nearly a point per game in his two runs to the playoffs. the Stanley Cup, in 2023 and 2024.

Bennett is finalizing a contract worth $4.425 million this season, and while he should expect some sort of raise, the opportunity to continue winning in Florida could be all the juice Bennett needs to close a more team-friendly deal and maintain what Well. sometimes rolling.

The rising stars

In some cases, it’s easier to determine where established players (like those mentioned above) might land in terms of their next big contracts. For those still putting down roots in the league? More complicated!

Take the Boston Bruins‘ Morgan Geekie. He had a breakout season in 2023-24, with career-high goal (17) and point (39) totals in 76 games. Geekie entered training camp this fall with high expectations and top-six potential. Boston’s unusually slow start to the campaign seemed to leave the entire team, including Geekie, in a state of confusion, and the 26-year-old has just one assist in his first eight games.

What does all this mean for Boston’s pending grand plan for the FRG? Plenty. The Bruins have seen Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retire in recent years, and it’s guys like Geekie who can replace them in the future. That’s not to say Geekie will be overpaid right away, but it would be in Boston’s best interest to give Geekie a solid deal that solidifies his place as a major part of their future. Doing it before summer could boost Geekie’s confidence.

He Dallas Stars have a comparably important player in Wyatt Johnstonwho will also be a restricted free agent, and who it would be wise to take care of before long. Johnston has the potential to be the face of the franchise after the last two seasons, during which time he scored 56 goals and 106 points. Johnston is also only 21 years old; Since he has already become a cornerstone of the Stars’ offense, that will cost them a new contract.

Offer Johnston a long-term contract with roughly the same $8 million to $8.5 million annual salary that Dallas has doled out to his teammates. Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen should be enough to keep everyone happy. Johnston has been with Dallas on back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals, and it’s hard to turn down the opportunity to stay in a winning group.